Good question and of course, it probably varies from person to person. The first thing to find out is if the problem is something that can be fixed with another operation. Perhaps the surgeon has already told you the implant needs revision.

In some cases patients wait so long to have the hip replacement that they can't recover fully. More surgery may not make a difference. In other cases, the problem isn't with the new implant. The person may have spinal stenosis or some other low back problem causing referred pain to the hip.

When a patient's quality of life or activity level is severely affected, then something needs to be done. Pain can disrupt daily activities and lead to further problems. If you haven't seen the orthopedic surgeon who did the first operation, it would be a good idea to make an appointment now before things get worse.